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You May Want to Know These 5 Important DWI Terms

A person charged with DWI can face severe penalties that may result in the loss of personal freedoms, licenses, and even professional opportunities. That’s why it’s so important for a person to be prepared for the future of their case. A person can prepare in two easy ways: find a legal defender and learn more about DWI law.

Concepts You Should Know

If you have been arrested on DWI charges, it may be helpful to know the following terms:

#1: Defendant – In a criminal defense case, the defendant is the person charged with the crime.

#2: Intoxication – The legal definition of intoxication works on several different levels. A person is legally intoxicated if their BAC is over 0.08. However, they can also be considered intoxicated if their driving ability is visibly impaired. This type of intoxication is determined by behavior recorded by a police officer while someone is on the road or undergoing field sobriety tests.

#3: Intoxicant – An intoxicant, according to the law, is a substance that causes intoxication. This can include alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription drugs, and other substances that may impair a person’s driving abilities.

#4: Physical Control – A person needs to have physical control to be arrested on DWI charges. This can be loosely defined in some cases, but physical control generally means that the driver had the physical ability to drive a vehicle. Even if they aren’t actually behind the wheel, they still might have physical control.

#5: Field Sobriety Test – Field sobriety tests are often given by police officers when they are investigating a suspected drunk driver. These can include a variety of different tests that measure things like balance, mental clarity, and fine motor skills.

Contact Us

If you’ve been arrested on DWI charges, your legal defense should be a priority. To discuss your options in further detail with a knowledgeable advisor, contact Raleigh DWI lawyer Jim Black today at 919-600-4609.

"Jim, I just wanted to thank you again for everything you did for me. I am very happy about the outcome and would recommend you to anyone and everyone who has a DUI case. Two things that stuck out the most is your patience and honesty, you wanted the best for me and that was obvious." -J.M.